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Jenni Murray has pulled out of a talk at Oxford University after LGBTQ+ students claimed that she is “transphobic” and attempted to “no platform” her.

The veteran BBC broadcaster and Women’s Hour presenter was due to speak this Saturday at an Oxford History Society event, as part of their “Powerful British Women in History” series of events.

But on Wednesday Murray told the History Society that she is no longer able to attend the event due to “personal reasons”.

Earlier this week, three student groups wrote a joint letter urging their peers to “publicly condemn” Murray’s views and “if possible, cancel the event”.

The LGBTQ+ campaign and Women’s Campaign, both of which are run by Oxford University’s student union, as well as the LGBTQ Society have all signed the letter.

They say that “inviting publically transphobic speakers to the university, without challenge, further marginalises and unnecessarily compromises the welfare of trans students and staff”.

Students claimed that Murray “explicitly transphobic comments” in a newspaper article last year, in which she argued that trans women who have lived as men “with all the privilege that entails” do not have the experience of growing up female.

The students’ letter contains “trigger warnings” for “Terfs”, which stands for Trans-Exclusionary Radical Feminists, and is generally used as a derogatory term to describe those who believe that “identifying” as a woman is not the same as being born a woman.

The veteran BBC broadcaster was due to speak this Saturday at an Oxford History Society eventCredit:
Roberto Ricciuti

It can also be used to refer to people who are deemed to hold transphobic views. The letter also carries a warning for “transmisogyny”, a term used to describe those who are both transphobic as well as a misogynist .

Murray has previously said that she “made very clear” in her article that she “fully support the right of trans women to be accorded the respect and protection I would demand for any human being, regardless of sex or gender”.

Last year, the same student groups called on Oxford’s literary festival to ban Murray, who had been invited to speak about feminism and women’s history.

A History Society spokesman said: “Jenni Murray was invited for her prominent role as presenter of BBC Radio 4’s Women’s Hour, as well as for her historical writings. As a society we condemn any transphobia and do not necessarily endorse the views of our speakers. Jenni Murray has since cancelled the event for personal reasons.”

An Oxford spokesman said that the university is “committed to supporting the University's transgender students and staff and to providing a welcoming and inclusive environment that promotes equality and diversity”. They added: “We are also committed to freedom of expression” and said the event would have been “entirely suitable for a student society”.